Chapter 20: Helping out a Friend.

(Selenia’s POV)

For the next week, I went through endurance training via running laps. Oddly, I felt that I needed to focus on one aspect of making my body better at a time. When I could easily and consistently run 2500 laps in a day, I stopped running laps.

My speed got to damn near inhuman levels, so I could run a lap faster than anyone at the fort could. Like I was guided by Marika, I mainly stopped running laps because I felt as if my endurance was peaked for my current age. No matter how many more laps that I ran, I no longer felt like I was getting any better.

Radahn: “You’re done with running laps?” He asked after taking a bite of his breakfast.

Selenia: “That’s right. I feel like I can’t gain any more endurance at my age, so I stopped.” I reply.

Radahn: “…I truly wish that I was blessed.” He said with a laugh.

Selenia: “And why is that?” I ask.

Radahn: “The blessed tend to learn faster and be miles better than anyone. From what the wizards, mages, and witches know, it is because blessed people have divinity within them. Because of that divinity, their limits far exceed that of normal humans or elves. Even better, they can easily tell when they need to stop doing something, as they can’t gain any further progress until some milestone is passed.” He explained.

Selenia: “Really? That is mighty convenient.” I reply with a smile.

Radahn: “…Will I actually get to help you train today?” He asked with an unsure tone.

Selenia: “That depends on the type of training… How many pushups can you do?” I reply.

Radahn: “Uh… Maybe a hundred max in my prime.” He replied.

Selenia: “Alright then, if you can get over a hundred pushups, then I will owe you a favor.” I say with a scheming smile.

Radahn: “A favor? Not that useful at the moment, but it will come in handy a few years down the line… Okay, I’ll take that bet!” He said with a confident tone.

Clearly, Radahn and I were both decently competitive people. We quickly finished up our breakfast, and then we went outside into the fort once more. Eating breakfast with Radahn was something that I oddly picked up as a habit. Calling the soldiers of this fort stupid would be rude and wrong, but rarely were any of them able to hold a complex conversation. Of which Radahn and I enjoy such conversations.

Hours Later.

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Radahn: “Selenia… I lost hours ago… Why are you still doing pushups? You just did your 800th one…” He asked with a defeated sigh.

Selenia: “You lost? Ah, sorry, I got too into doing pushups. They aren’t as taxing as running laps, so I want to do far more before I stop for today.” I reply while still doing pushups.

Radahn: “Fine… Just please stop when the sun goes down. Anyway, what is the favor that you want to ask of me?” He asked.

Selenia: “Adopt Rana into your family. That is all I want.” I answer.

Radahn: “…I can do that, but why?” He asked with a confused tone.

Selenia: “War doesn’t suit Rana, and she has been good to me.” I reply.

Radahn: “Yeah… I agree with that… Damn. Looks like I have a bunch of paperwork to fill out.” He replied with a groan before walking away.

Radahn acting like a teenager is funny, and he accidentally does it around his soldiers. Of course, they all pretend to not see how he acts around me, as they don’t want to be demoted. After doing another hundred pushups, Rana came running to me.

Rana: “Selenia! Why!?” She asked with a spiral eyes.

Selenia: “Huh?” I reply with a head tilt.

Rana: “Why did you ask Radahn to adopt me? I even leave to his home today…” She asked.

Selenia: “Rana, being a soldier isn’t the life for you. I see you as my sister, so I want you to be safe.” I answer with a smile.

Rana: “…That answer would be more compelling if you didn’t continue to do pushups.” She said with a sigh.

Selenia: “Can’t lose focus now, dear sister of mine. My words are my true feelings, though.” I reply with a laugh.

Rana: “I see you as my little sister… I can’t stand you living like this either.” She said with a sad tone.

Selenia: “Rana, I am a special person, so you will have to forgive me.” I reply with a remorseful tone.

Look, I even stopped doing pushups to tell her this. I would give Rana a hug, but I am absolutely drenched in sweat. Luckily, children sweat far less than adults, so I actually wasn’t that sweaty. I also oddly didn’t stink. After running those laps at first, I sniffed myself, and I weirdly smelled good. Of course, I have no idea if this is part of Marika’s blessing, and I won’t be asking about it ever…

I can’t just walk up to a random person and ask them if my sweat smells good… I know that some people have that specific fetish, but I don’t. So I must truly smell good, even when I sweat. I guess that is a question that won’t be answered until I get a girlfriend and ask her about my body smell…

Rana: “Will you come visit me?” She asked.

Selenia: “Of course, I will visit you when I have time. But that will be a while from now, as I have a lot of work to get done.” I reply.

Rana: “…Radahn said that I don’t even have to lift a finger, and he won’t have me married for political purposes. I am just from a destroyed small village, but now I am going to live in a massive estate of a wealthy noble family…” She said with a nervous tone.

Selenia: “I am sure that you will get used to it eventually, Rana.” I reply with a giggle.

Until Rana left for Radahn’s estate, I stayed with her. Of course, I did clean myself up first. Annoyingly, there weren’t any baths, so I had to use some water and a rag to clean myself. At the very least, I could get clean. I just wished that there were baths in this world…

Wait! Shouldn’t there be baths!? Ah, stupid me… Radahn’s estate probably has baths, but a fort like this wouldn’t have such luxuries. Dammit! And now I am sending Rana off to that place, and she will be able to bathe whenever she wants to…

Rana: “Selenia, goodbye, and I will never forget this gift you’ve given me.” She said after giving me a hug.

Despite being smaller than her, I helped Rana up into the carriage. As she was driven away, I kept waving at her. Eventually, once I could no longer see her again, I went back inside the fort. Specifically, I went back to doing pushups. Frankly, doing them outside was kinda pointless, so I started to do them in my room. Now then, I missed out on some time, but I wonder how many pushups that I can get in today?…